Category: Sheep
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Getting Ready for Shearing
We spent today cleaning the old hay scraps out from under the hay barn – specifically the area where we shear the sheep. Up next will be building the sheep sweep and getting everything ready. Shearing will take place a week from today (March 28th). Continue reading
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Sheep Maternity Wear
Ovine fashion icon, OogieM, held her spring fashion show with her line of maternity coats for the well-dressed ewe. Last year’s patchwork has given way to this year’s bright new color: red. Contrasting black stitching makes a nice detail. Coats are being made in larger sizes for the plus-sized, with a new line of wide… Continue reading
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Sheep Happens
You never quite know what can happen during morning chores. This morning, after feeding all of the critters, we were watching the adult rams. One was being chased by both Becky and the other rams. We’ve learned that when that happens, you must get the picked-on sheep out of the pen, or he’ll get injured.… Continue reading
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Becky and the Rams
Becky is in with the adult rams now. She’s doing very well, and the sheep seem to get along well with her. Continue reading
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The Calm Before the Storm
We are now in that last calm period of winter before the major storm of spring work hits. We shear the flock on the 28th of March, and that is the start of the busy season. After shearing, we have to get our federal flock inspections done, vaccinate all the sheep, trim toes on any… Continue reading
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RS Farwasabi: February 18th, 1989 – February 18th, 2009
We lost our senior stallion yesterday to severe colic from a twisted gut. RS Farwasabi was a grandson of both Abu Farwa and Khemosabi. He was trained in dressage, reining, and pleasure, and he was always a gentleman to handle. He was the first purebred Arabian horse we ever bred. He was also a SCID… Continue reading
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Winnie and the Ewes
We moved Winnie in with one batch of pregnant ewes today. This’ll allow us to move Becky in with the rams. All of the ewes were concerned about the new dog. This ewe, Desert Weyr Annwyl, was obviously the one chosen to go up and check the dog out. Winnie passed her inspection, and they’re… Continue reading
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Rams Out
The three rams we used for clean-up breeders were behaving very well, and we had increased their pen size. Today, we put them back in with the ram lambs. The older boys are big enough that none of the little ones will challenge them. They’ve settled who is boss. It reduces the electricity cost this… Continue reading
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January Thaw
We always get a thaw in January. The days turn warm, the snow melts, and we have a mini mud season. I know it won’t last – it’s just a taste of the spring to come. We’ll probably need to add gravel to the driveways this spring. It’s amazing how gravel disappears so fast! The… Continue reading
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Sheep Postmortem
We lost a ram lamb today. He’d been looking off for over a week. We’d separated him to a small pen to keep an eye on him. He wouldn’t eat or drink, but he’d eat fresh snow. We gave him Nutridrench, propylene glycol, and warm malt liquid. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong. He… Continue reading